The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-12-01
FIGHTING THEM OVER
Nhat0m Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE 18th PA. CAV.
Terse sketch OF One OF the Bost Regiments in
tile Eastern Army.


Cavalry II was raised during August aud
September, 1861. by Col Josiah Harlan, OF
Philadelphia under special authority from the
Secretary OF War. Under this authority COM
psnics were raised i'm different States: Co
A from Iowa, 4 and j from New York,
] from New Jersey, M from Ohio, and the
remainder from Pennsylvania,
The organization of the regiment was com
pletod on Oct 3, lc6l. us strength consisted
OF Al officers and .059 enlisted men. The regl-
mcnt was assigned to Brig Gen. lnns y. Pal
mcrs Brigade, and on Oct. is marched from
Camp Harlan, on the Scventh-stroct road, wash
ington, TO Camp Palmer near Balls Crossroads,
Va, whore il went into camp for instruction
and drill
Il having been ascertaincd at this time that
Congress had only authorized the raising Of
regiments by States, and that consequently the
formation OF Harlans Light Cavalry" ms an
independent organization was irregular, II was
attached 10 the Pennsylvania State orgauiza-
tion Nov. l3. 1861, and received tho Official
designation ID now retains OF the lith Pa.
Cav.
ON Nov. l9 the regiment broke Camp and
marched 10 Annapolis, from which point II
proceeded ia transports 10 Camp Hamilton,
near Fortress Monroe, remaining there six
months, engaged in drill, scouting and picket
duty In March, 1852, Cos. NJ and 4 were
detailed FOR duty at Newport News. ON
Lieut.-Col. Spear, were sent 10 Portsmouth,
Va, and subsequently, ta Suffolk Va. The re-
manning i've companies under Col. Harlan,
were ordered 10 White House. Va, aud as
signed TO duty in the Army of the Potomac; ;
in the beginning OF jnne, 1852 participated la
the Peninsulur campaign, and on July 10 re-
turned 10 Suffolk Va Col. Harlan left the
service on Aug ~, 1862, and Col. Spear became
his successor. RecOnnoissanCes TO the Black
wafer and frequent s6irmishes were OF almost
daily occurrence. Tic battle OF Deserted
House, Ia which tie regiment took prom
inent part, occurred Jan. 30, 1868; that OF
Franklin on March II, 1863, where Lieut.. Now
day was killed. The siege Of Suffolk by Long
street continued from April IL 10 May 3, 1863. ia
this siege the regiment WAS actively employed.
On the Dist OF June, 1868, the regiment en-
barl,od on transports for White House, on Pa
muul1cy River, Va. and on the 2Glh, at the
Virginia Central Railroad bridge over South
Anna River, near Hanover Courthouse, Va,
attacked the enemy's works in the rear by a
mounted aud dismountod charge, resulting in
the capture OF 125 prisoners.
During the expedition Brig.-Gen. w. III. i.
Ice now member OF Congress from Virginia.
was captured, and he and Col. Spear at once
recognized each other rs old friends. On the
9Th Of July, 1903 Cos. G and III destroyed the
railroad bridge, station and public property al
Ashland, Va. On July the regiment left iur
White House, and subsequently Went into
camp NJ Bowers Hill, seven miles from Ports
mouth Va. On the 2Jth a raid was made into
North Carolina rs far ms Jackson resulting in
the capture Of 40 prisoners and 100 horses
Soon after this the regiment went into camp al
Camp Getty, three miles from Portsmouth, Va
Prom October 10 January Of this year 400 vet
Grams Of this command re-enlistod for three
years additional service.
These veterans comprised the best material
mot ion n-,1l
officers and non-commssioned officers of The
regiment for the hard fought campaigns OF
subsequent wears On the 23d of January, 1864
tho regiment left for williamsburg, Va, where
il remained until April s. In February il par.
ticpatcd in the expedition TO Bottoms Bridge
In this month Co. q was detached for duty on
the Eastern Shore Of Virginia. The regiment
returned 10 Portsmouth in April, and was bri
Gaded with the LIST District Of Columbia, 3D. N
y. and 9th Pa.
On May s. 1864 the Stony Creek bridge was
destroyed, the Nottoway bridge burned and the
enemy defeated at Jarrett's Station. Loss Of
the regiment one man killed, ten men and
Lieut.. Prud 'hOmme lat present Professor at the
Naval Academy at AnnapOis) wounded. Dur
ing this raid the regiment marched 300 miles il
six days On the cath the engagement at Fla
Creek Bridge took place, in which Lieut.
Schriver was killed. The results of this cxpe
dition was the destruction of a large amour
of railroad track on the Danyille, South Sid
a. Weldon Railroad, and rebel Government
property-incuding station buildings, locomo
tiyes, cars, and warehouses filled with stores
The losses were one officer and five men killc
and 10 wounded. On the 9th Of June, 1864
the regiment participated in the attack on tn
enemy's works in the rear of Petersburg, Va
IN which one gun and 80 prisoners were capt
ured, and part Of the regiment got into tn
edge of the town.
From the 2lst to the Both OF June 1904 th
regiment was engaged in the celebrated raj
OF Kautzsand Wilson's Divisions, having for il
object the destruction OF the Danville Railroad
The loss IN this raid 10 the regiment was 10
killed, wounded and missing, among whic
were Captains Reynolds, LOOMS, Bailey an
Roberts, and Lieut.. Tears. During July th
regiment remained in camp at Jones's Necl
engaged in reiitting. Co. J. was detached 10 th
Eastern Shore Of Virginia on the l4th relievin
Go. q. The division was subsequently, attache
10 Gen. Sheridans forces, and constituted
part Of the 1900 cavalry with which he Ell
gagged the enemy at Deep Bottom on the 29tl
From the 18th 10 the 25th of August, lS6
the regiment was engaged in all those impO
taut and hard fought actions by means Of whic
the Weldon Railroad was occupied and held b
our forces. On the 29th Lieut.. Nelson W,
killed Many will recall his expertness !
swordsmanship. The regiment was furnishe
with the Merrill, Sharp, Starr aud Burnsic
carbine.
Ia November, 1854, the command went I'M
Winter quarters two miles north Of the jam
River, doing picket duty for the right of d
line ln regard 70 proficiency in regiment
eVOlutiOns, probably no regiment Of cavalry
the army could excel the nth.
Toward the close Of March, 1866, Brig. &c
Ranald :. Mackenzie relieved Gen. Kautz
the command Of the division. In the battl
which followed the crossing OF the James an
hppomattOS Rivers on the 18th of March, TO d
surrender OF Lees army at Appomattox Cour
house on April y, 1865, the 18th took col
spicu0us part.
On the morning Of the surrender Mackenzie
Brigade had orders 10 engage the enemy an
develop his position. IL moved forward 10 ii
Lynchburg turnpike, about mile west of A
pomattON Courthouse, near which Lees arm
lay. This movement placed the brigade
rectly across Lees line of escape Two div
ions Of the Twenty fourth Corps followed by d
same route. Other troops were rapidly comil
mp. The 1lth was now ordered forward, al
had the honor Of opening the attack in 1
final battle Of the war.
On the day following the surrender Of Lee
squadron OF the l1th, under Capt Thornt
Elliott, was detailed TO search for buried art
lery. Noticing several places on the late bs
tieield and vicinity Of Red Oak Church, whe
the ground was partially burned over, he
dered them uncovered and eXhumed and to-
possession Of ga pieces Of field artillery carrial
and caissons not included in the property 81
rendered. In this short campaign the II
regiment captured aud delivered 10 the prOJ
officers no heldpeces, d mOrtars, six hea
guns, l2O carriages and caissons, seven forg